Friday, December 11, 2009

Cranberry Beans and Pasta

I've been on a kick of trying something new, almost every week. This week cranberry beans caught my attention. They sound so seasonal, I knew I had to try them. This recipe calls for dried cranberry beans, but any kind of dried bean will work. Do try to find beans that have been recently dried - like the ones that you find at your farmer's market. Dried beans keep easily for up to a year, and even longer. The older they are, the longer they take to cook.

Cover the cranberry beans with the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat, cover the beans and let sit for 1 hour. Drain beans. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and cook over medium low heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, sage, and parsley, cooking for an additional minute. Add the beans and the chicken stock and cook for about 20 minutes or until the beans are tender. Use a masher to mash about half of the beans, thickening them. Meanwhile, fill a separate saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente, firm to the touch, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the beans. Add the remaining parsley, plus salt and pepper to taste. Dish up, sprinkling each serving with some of the Parmesan cheese. Stealthy Cooking Tip: Pasta, grains, beans, veggies, and seeds each contain incomplete proteins. But, mix them up together, and magic happens. The incomplete proteins work together to provide a complete protein, similar to what you'd find in meat. Many meatless mains combine pasta or rice with beans, giving you complete proteins. Dairy foods also contain complete proteins, so when you add cheese to your dish, you're eating all the protein that you need!

Welcome to Stealth Cooking!

Stealth cooking started out 20 years ago. I was a vegetarian who married a meat and potatoes man. Over time, I've added small amounts of meat to my veggie diet, and lots of veggies to the meat-based diet. How? By stealthy cooking!

Using vegetables when unexpected, changing proportions on the plate, preparing foods in ways that are delicious enough for any palate! Plus, using small amounts of flavorful meats and spices so the taste for meat is fulfilled.

I was also concerned about my family's health. My husband had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The kids were healthy, but I wanted them to stay that way! Initially, no one was excited about eating "healthy". They thought healthy food would taste bad.

So, I started out stealthy. I'd sneak healthy tidbits into meals. I'd replace small amounts of foods with healthier choices. Now, 20 years later, many meals are vegetable or grain based. We eat less fat, less salt, less sugar, no transfats, and still enjoy every meal. My husbands cholesterol and blood pressure are in the healthy range. The kids are still in a healthy weight range and live healthy life styles. Amazingly, everyone likes the food!

I've been encouraged to share my secrets, and my recipes ... so here they are! Look for stealthy cooking tips at the end of every recipe.

All text and images on Stealth Cooking are copyright M. Gilbert 2007-2017. All rights reserved.